And…we’re rolling! Chicago’s oldest movie theater, The 400 Theater, reopens

It was just a few short years ago when things looked bleak for the movie theater business. The rise of streaming services had disrupted the industry’s foundations, rising costs had cut into its profits, and the pandemic’s forced isolation seemed to all but drive the final nail into the silver screen's coffin.

Combine that with a Hollywood writers strike in 2023, and it's easy to see why independent and corporate cinemas alike struggled to survive. Even AMC, the world's largest theater chain, became a GameStop-esque “meme-stock” as retail investors looked to save a beloved yet floundering brand.

Within this climate, the New 400 theater officially closed its doors in 2023. At the time, the theater, located in Rodgers Park, was the longest operating cinema house in the city, dating back to 1913 when it was first opened as the Regent Vaudeville House, according to the Chicago Reader. Over the years, despite name changes and varying owners, the theater had become an institution of its community and a home for film lovers across the city.

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Throughout the decades, the theater featured everything from silent films and live performances to cult classics like “Back to the Future” and “Blues Brothers” as well as traditional blockbuster releases. In the 90s, the theater was known for its “Midnight Madness” showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” per the Chicago Tribune, complete with live ensembles and audiences that would often raucously get out of hand.

A perfect representation of the independent, homey theater that dominated the trade for most of the 20th century, The 400 was a no-frills neighborhood theater that delivered all the comfort and charms one would hope to find at such an old-world bastion of film. So it came as no surprise that the Rodgers Park neighborhood, and the broader movie-loving community of Chicago, were heartbroken to see the beloved relic shutter. 

However, salvation came in the form of fresh investors who saw opportunity in the anguish. The theater lease was purchased by Jordan Stancil, a Michigan-based entrepreneur who hails from a family with extensive roots in the movie business. According to WBEZ Chicago, Stancil’s grandfather started a small regional portfolio of independent movie theaters, which Jordan worked at during his youth and now currently runs.

Now, the new owner of the 400 Theater hopes to use this experience to help turn around the iconic Chicago spot. The freshly opened theater features four big screens that will showcase a wide range of movies, including new releases, indie/arthouse projects, and specialty film series. Stancil told Block Club Chicago he hopes to keep ticket prices low to honor the tradition of the neighborhood venue. 

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The 400 Theater officially reopened on Friday, July 31, showing the latest “Spider-Man” film with lines out the door on opening night. The re-debut comes at the right time. Following those dark days in 2023, the movie theater business has seen a resurgence in recent years driven by Gen Z and Millennials returning to the big screen in a big way. 

This trend reached a new high recently when industry publications like Variety announced that last weekend's collective box office haul of $430M had set the record for the highest ticket sales in movie history, led by the “Spider-Man” release as well as Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” epic. The verdict: young people are increasingly seeing the movie theater, once again, as a way to socialize and get out of the house while still enjoying a relaxing evening.

Just like the films it features, the 400 Theater’s history spins a narrative fit for the big screen. If its aged walls and stained carpets could talk, they would tell the tale of a community, a city, and an art form that have all continuously grown and changed together over the last century—and with new management and community behind it, Chicago’s oldest movie theater looks like it has a few more chapters to its story.